Comic books

[Laurie]

What comic books are you currently reading? I'm really liking Invincible and X-Factor. I must admit, though, I hate these comic book EVENTS Marvel keeps doing. I didn't like feeling pressued to buy books I wouldn't otherwise pick up from the shelf to even browse through. It's a ploy to move substandard books off the shelf.

Speaking of substandard books, Brubaker's Uncanny X-Men is REALLY good.

Also, Done to Death on Markosia is really funny. It lampoons vampire fiction, which is almost universally awful. No, I retract that statement. It's universally awful. Period. That includes novelizations of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and also Terry Pratchett's Carpe Jugulum. Or should I say Jugglerum? I love Discworld (my favorite one is Mort), but the lisping vampires aren't terribly funny.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I was just going to start a comic book thread in the interest of procrastinating, and discovered this one.  Allow me to resurrect it.  Wes, who seems to the reigning king of the chat zingers but neither calls nor posts, asked me about comics on the chat.  I mostly buy for the writers, though there are some (Geoff Johns, Warren Ellis, Mark Millar) that I only sometimes like. 

I'm sick of the big events, too, but am looking forward to Grant Morrison's Final Crisis.  Other faves of the moment: Love & Rockets, Y: The Last Man, Buffy, Green Lantern, Action Comics (not crazy about the Bizarro-world story with Eric Powell, but I am digging the Legion storyline), Captain America, Daredevil, Checkmate, Batman (though it's not as good as I was expecting), Brave & Bold (mostly just for the art), Iron Man, Suicide Squad.  I'm also totally digging Fantagraphics' complete Peanuts series.

Anyone else?

[Phantom Hugger]

Speaking of Fantagraphics, if you can find any of the Friedman Brother's books, I'd recommend them. Especially "Any Similarity to Persons Living or Dead Is Purely Coincidental", the bit about everyone on Earth waking up looking exactly like Earnest Borgine is one of the best things ever.

[Gagneaux]

I like:
Y- The Last Man (great writing and I think Pia Guerra is a very underrated artist)

Captain America (the books still great even with the main character being dead)

Swamp Thing (I've been re-reading Alan Moore's run. It's still impressive to me after all these years. Which leads me to...)

Hellblazer (my all time favorite character. You can do almost anything with that guy.)

Green Lantern (currently, the only big event story I'm enjoying. It's neat to see how much Ethan Van Sciver's art has evolved. It's like everything he's done before was leading up to his take on GL)

Ex Machina (I'm surprised b how much I've enjoyed that series)

Thor (so far so good. I think it has potential)

DMZ (has it's fair share of interesting moments)

I really want to like, but can't:
World War Hulk (it's like a non-event. Even though it involves some big guns, I have a feeling that it's a "world war" that will ultimately affect no one. I thought that Planet Hulk went on WAAAAAAYYYY too long also)

The Boys (Every now and the Garth Ennis gets a little too Garth Ennis. Does that make sense? I really like his work, but sometimes he is predictably "shocking and over the top" and it kinda looses the effect for me.)

[Miss]

Favorites are: Preacher, Strangers In Paradise, Bone, Walking Dead & The Boys (though I haven't been keeping up with those two.)

[Ason]

the last comic I'll ever love.

Give the man his props!

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I really want to like, but can't:
World War Hulk (it's like a non-event. Even though it involves some big guns, I have a feeling that it's a "world war" that will ultimately affect no one. I thought that Planet Hulk went on WAAAAAAYYYY too long also)

The Boys (Every now and the Garth Ennis gets a little too Garth Ennis. Does that make sense? I really like his work, but sometimes he is predictably "shocking and over the top" and it kinda looses the effect for me.)

Yes indeed.  I really like Greg Pak in general, and I enjoyed the Planet Hulk storyline, but it's like: all of Civil War was sparked by Stamford, CT getting blown up, but then Hulk destroys Manhattan and everyone just sort of shrugs and goes back to the Skrulls, Mutants, Symbiotes, Aunt May, or whatever they have going on?

And I know everyone is supposed to love Ennis, but I really do think he descends into self-parody more often than not...

the last comic I'll ever love.

Give the man his props!

I dunno, Ason, I'm with Tom on this one.  I wound up with enormous stacks of Cerebus comics from the 2-3 years I tried to like it (and some of the art is great, but isn't that all his inker?), but it just dragged on, and Sim is such a misogynist loonball - not that I think any artist's crazy personal beliefs are necessarily relevant, but in this case it did seem to inform his work.

[Ason]

the last comic I'll ever love.

Give the man his props!

I dunno, Ason, I'm with Tom on this one.  I wound up with enormous stacks of Cerebus comics from the 2-3 years I tried to like it (and some of the art is great, but isn't that all his inker?), but it just dragged on, and Sim is such a misogynist loonball - not that I think any artist's crazy personal beliefs are necessarily relevant, but in this case it did seem to inform his work.

The inker Gerhard did mostly the backgrounds and some lettering. Cerebus is really Dave Sim's baby and the evolution of the actually artwork is breath taking, not to mention how he constantly pushed forward  on the technical aspects of paneling, space....sound (I know).

It's all about how you frame things I guess because I don't think of it as dragging on I think of the story as epic and singular.

Of course his eccentricities coloured his work, when the art is true it always does. I don't agree with his whole "male light/female void" thesis but man, if anybody takes the time to read that passage it shows what a brilliant, powerful mind was at work. It is a dense polemic for any form literature.

For a guy that is such a "misogynist" he created some compelling female characters....much more so than big boobed sex pot caricatures in mainstream fare.

[Gilly]

Keeping up with comic books is too expensive. But, I was able to read the entire Civil War event and that was pretty cool. I understand that people who are regular readers might be annoyed by the fact they have to go buy comics they don't normally buy. For me, it was a fun way to read about other comic book heroes other than Spiderman and Batman.

Other than that I stick to Batman, American Splendor and graphic novels...and Sandman. Sandman is the best. Pretty standard fare for me.

[bruce]

Ok I read Cerebus back in the good old funny days. Then it got to the point of sheer boredom and just waited for those phone book collections. Actually after Guys then it really slowed down and I just gave up.

Well for those waiting for the new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - Don't get your hopes up. I was told from a pal of mine its a major let down

[Pride of Staten Island]

I like:
Y- The Last Man (great writing and I think Pia Guerra is a very underrated artist)

Captain America (the books still great even with the main character being dead)

Swamp Thing (I've been re-reading Alan Moore's run. It's still impressive to me after all these years. Which leads me to...)

Hellblazer (my all time favorite character. You can do almost anything with that guy.)

Green Lantern (currently, the only big event story I'm enjoying. It's neat to see how much Ethan Van Sciver's art has evolved. It's like everything he's done before was leading up to his take on GL)

Ex Machina (I'm surprised b how much I've enjoyed that series)

Thor (so far so good. I think it has potential)

DMZ (has it's fair share of interesting moments)

I really want to like, but can't:
World War Hulk (it's like a non-event. Even though it involves some big guns, I have a feeling that it's a "world war" that will ultimately affect no one. I thought that Planet Hulk went on WAAAAAAYYYY too long also)

The Boys (Every now and the Garth Ennis gets a little too Garth Ennis. Does that make sense? I really like his work, but sometimes he is predictably "shocking and over the top" and it kinda looses the effect for me.)

I totally argee with you on Ennis. As much as I love Preacher it was pretty heavy on the gratutious shock value. It might be a little more forgivable in Preacher's case as I believe it was one of the first Vertigo titles and both the writer and the publisher wanted to show how "adult" they could be. In The Boys the sex, violence and general depravity doesn't seem to have much of a point other than Ennis skewering traditional superhero archetypes. However, the "superheroes that aren't so righteous and squeaky clean" thing has been done to death. It's practically the default mode for mainstream comics nowadays. All this this would be fine if The Boys looked half as good or has a story anywhere near as involving as Preacher. I'm about ready to give up on it. I'll give it one more story arc.

I actually gave both Brain K Vaughn titles (Ex Machina and Y: The Last Man) you mentioned a shot but gave up on both after around 20 issues. Both started really strong (Y, in particular, had a brilliant first issue) but as soon as I realized that neither of the big questions raised in early issues were getting answered anytime soon I lost interest. I understand that there's something to be said for the slow burn but none of the story tangents Vaughn went on moved me all that much.

Stuff I do like:

Ed Brubaker's run on Daredevil and his pulp crime comic Criminal. I became a fan of the Brube from this work on Gotham Central. I followed him over to Marvel and thus far have not been dissapointed. Both books are fantastic. I took a look his work Iron First (which I thought was decent) but I haven't read any of his Captain America yet. I'm a little weary that I'll have to keep up wih everything else going on in the Marvel universe to comprehend it. Is this the case?

Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead and Invincible. Walking Dead has the potential to be one of the great horror comics of all time, even if the series has hit a bit of a lull of late. I just like Invincible's light, Silver Age-influenced tone and wacky sci-fi elements. It's refreshing to read a superhero book that's not "grim and gritty" or self-important and that you don't need a Ph.D. in continuity to follow.

Also enjoying:

All Star Superman
Any issue of Detective Comics Paul Dini writes. (Though that's beginning get sucked into the "Countdown" storyline)
Peter Bagge's just completed Apocalypse Nerd (I'm a big Bagge fan)
Omega The Unknown (Dug the first 2 issues)
Crossing Midnight (thanks Laurie!)

Also just got into Kurt Busiek's Astro City and I'm slowly making my way through the TPBs.

Looking forward to the new League of Extraordinary Gentleman but I'll heed Bruce's advice and try not to set my expectations too high.

I would also like to highly recommend Douglas Wolk's Reading Comics. An essential read for any fan of the medium.

[Gagneaux]

I actually gave both Brain K Vaughn titles (Ex Machina and Y: The Last Man) you mentioned a shot but gave up on both after around 20 issues. Both started really strong (Y, in particular, had a brilliant first issue) but as soon as I realized that neither of the big questions raised in early issues were getting answered anytime soon I lost interest

You might want to catch up on Y-The Last Man. There's only one issue left in the series, and things have been pretty exciting in the closing.

[dvdv]

All-Star Superman is the only comic I buy in single issues.  It's like prozac in glossy-page form.  Anyone read the one that just came out.  The ending was a bit contrived but it's still my fav book right now by leaps and bounds (tee hee).

[Laurie]

All-Star Superman is good. All-Suck Batman & Robin is bad. Will someone please shoot Frank Miller for me? Thanks!

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Oh, god, Frank Miller, yeah.  Will someone please put him out of our misery?  I mean, Batman vs. Al-Qaeda?  Really?

And that shitty ending to the Martha Washington saga, the last good thing Miller ever did, was just tragic.  So, after this (occasionally ham-fisted but often sharp) satire in which bureaucracy, war, factionalism, corruption, and environmental devastation basically ended the American empire, and then there was some sort of outer space robot thing, some thinly disguised stand-ins for Muslim terrorists managed to destroy the utopia that Washington and her allies created?  I feel like anyone who thinks Christopher Hitchens' political transformation is extreme and/or regrettable should read Frank Miller's comics over the last 10 years or so.

And Batman & Robin, I haven't been anywhere near that thing.  I wouldn't Byrne-steal it with John Byrne's dick.